The Humboldt Squid

The Humboldt Squid, which is also often referred to as the Jumbo Squid, is usually at home from Baja down to South America. Scientifically named Dosidicus Gigas, the Humboldt has a reputation for being a deadly predator and has been nicknamed the "Red Devil" by Mexican fisherman. There are even some stories of commercial fisherman falling overboard in the Sea of Cortez and being attacked or even dragged down by these giants. These Squid can reach 6 feet in length, and can weigh over 80lbs. What is known is that they grow extremely fast, which many scientists believe is the reason that they have such insatiable appetites and are so aggressive. These Squid move extremely fast in the water, have excellent eyesight, and attack their prey with a combination of arms and tentacles. Once prey has been ensnared they are devoured with the squid's razor sharp beak. Like other squid they have the ability to change colors instantly. Perhaps most impressive is that these creatures can be found in depths over 2000 feet, but will rise up all the way to the surface to feed.

Canyou eat Humboldt Squid, and how does it taste? PS. Do they attack people?

I'm asking this because I read a news reportthat GIANT SQUID are invading the California shores.
I guess these squids grow to be seven feet long and weigh up to 110 pounds andthey eat the same fish that the sharks and tuna do, meaning there will be lessfood for them and less fish for the fishermen to catch. If we can eat thesesquids, what's the big deal? I'm hungry

Good information Glen. I can see you are the squid guy. I am seriously looking into doing some squiding, but I am so new one could jump in my boat and I wouldn't even know whether I should jump out or eat it.
So thanks and please take this as a compliment, your knowledge will be a wonderful tool for us n00bs.

Also referred to as the jumbo squid, the Humboldt is one you do want to recognize. They aren’t as long as you would think with a name like that though. They only get to be about 7 feet long and weigh up to 100 pounds. They grow extremely fast though so those new offspring can get very large in a matter of months as long as they have enough food to nourish their bodies.

They have the ability to change their colors from shades of red to shades of purple and then white as well. Some people used to believe this was for hiding but it is now believed it is for communication purposes. Due to the different colors the Humboldt squid is often misidentified.

Distribution

The name for this species of squid is derived from its main location – the Humboldt Current. This is found in the East Pacific Ocean region if you aren’t familiar with it by name alone. The are sometimes found along the coastal region of California as well.

Many researchers believe that the Humboldt squid also reside in Oregon, Alaska, and Washington. There have been some sightings in these areas thanks to newer technology.
They are generally found about 2,300 feet down from surface of the water. This means you have to be actively looking for them or you will miss them.

Behavior

This is one of the most aggressive of all the squid out there but humans don’t need to worry. This aggression is toward their prey and nothing else. This is one of the few types of squid that live in groups. These groups are called shoals and there can be up to 1,200 of them in one.

They can move around in the water at a speed of about 15 miles per hour. The social hierarchy in their shoals really haven’t been identified by researchers. They live an active life though that is generally over within a year.

Since they are do deep in the water during the day there isn’t much we really know about their behaviors. At nigh the go to the surface to feed and that has been recorded in great detail by researchers.

What is the best defence against a Humboldt Squid attack?
Assuming this is a 6 foot 100 lbs humboldt squid, it goes red, all of its arms point together and it's about to shoot straight at you with it's 2 long feeding arms. What do you do if you are in the water? What is the best way of repelling an attack or destroying it? What are it's weaknesses?